Should I Take Part in a Cancer Prevention Clinical Trial?
People decide to be part
of a cancer prevention clinical trial for many reasons. For
example:
- Some people who have a
higher cancer risk join a cancer prevention trial because
they want to take a more active role in their health care.
Also, because study participants get regular and careful medical
attention, some health problems may be found early.
- Some people feel good
about helping medical knowledge advance. If the study agent
turns out to work against cancer, it may help others. For
example, prevention trials showed that aspirin helps prevent
heart attacks, and now many people take aspirin daily on their
doctor's advice.
Even when they don't lead
to new therapies, clinical trials often answer important questions
and help move research forward.
You need to weigh the benefits
and risks for yourself. The list in the next section may help
you do that. You also may find it useful to talk with family
members or friends, your health care providers, and anyone you
know who has been in a clinical trial.
Remember: You are the only
person who can make this decision, and if you join a clinical
trial, you can change your mind at any time even
after the study starts.
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National Cancer Institute
April 1999
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